Apr. 27 - "Do not work for food that perishes but..."

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Gospel includes “stunning” words for us in our current world crisis - just yesterday I heard on the news there is now a “danger” in the USA to the “food chain” due to Covid -19 and Food Banks are dangerously low on food to feed the hungry. Jesus however tells us in the Gospel:

“…Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for Me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
So they said to Him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one He sent.” (Jn 6: 22-29)

God’s Truth does not change. Unless we “believe” in Him with supernatural faith, believing the Truth He has revealed in sending His Son how can we “accomplish the works of God”? Jesus has told us that without Him, we can do nothing (cf Jn 15). We need Him more than we need earthly food to eat. Jesus taught us to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread”, which refers primarily to the Eucharist and to the Bread of His Word to feed our souls, as well as the ordinary food we need for our bodies.

We need His Grace to believe before we can feed on the Bread sent down from Heaven. God poured His Supernatural gifts of Faith, Hope and above all Charity into our souls at Baptism - yet how many have kept the promises made in Baptism? How many have sincerely renewed those promises and lived them?

How we need to implore Jesus through Mary, Mother of the Church, that we may have her humility and her heart of Great Faith, believing and loving Him as she did on this earth! May we begin to know Him in Truth and receive Him as she did by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Louis De Montfort, hopefully many will renew their total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, tomorrow. Hopefully many are also preparing to re-consecrate the countries of Canada and the USA with their Bishops on May 1st. In the end, Mary’s Immaculate Heart will triumph as she told the children at Fatima. Jesus came to us first through Mary and He will come again through her in triumph. Come Lord Jesus! “Totus tuus”.

 

[hazcompat]

He who finds Mary finds life​

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

God wishes to reveal Mary, his masterpiece, and make her more known in these latter times:

(1) Because she kept herself hidden in this world and in her great humility considered herself lower than dust, having obtained from God, his apostles and evangelists the favor of being made known.

(2) Because, as Mary is not only God’s masterpiece of glory in heaven, but also his masterpiece of grace on earth, he wishes to be glorified and praised because of her by those living upon earth.

(3) Since she is the dawn which precedes and discloses the Sun of Justice Jesus Christ, she must be known and acknowledged so that Jesus may be known and acknowledged.

(4) As she was the way by which Jesus first came to us, she will again be the way by which he will come to us the second time though not in the same manner.

(5) Since she is the sure means, the direct and immaculate way to Jesus and the perfect guide to him, it is through her that souls who are to shine forth in sanctity must find him. He who finds Mary finds life, that is, Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. But no one can find Mary who does not look for her. No one can look for her who does not know her, for no one seeks or desires something unknown. Mary then must be better known than ever for the deeper understanding and the greater glory of the Blessed Trinity.

(6) In these latter times Mary must shine forth more than ever in mercy, power and grace; in mercy, to bring back and welcome lovingly the poor sinners and wanderers who are to be converted and return to the Catholic Church; in power, to combat the enemies of God who will rise up menacingly to seduce and crush by promises and threats all those who oppose them; finally, she must shine forth in grace to inspire and support the valiant soldiers and loyal servants of Jesus Christ who are fighting for his cause.

(7) Lastly, Mary must become as terrible as an army in battle array to the devil and his followers, especially in these latter times. For Satan, knowing that he has little time - even less now than ever - to destroy souls, intensifies his efforts and his onslaughts every day. He will not hesitate to stir up savage persecutions and set treacherous snares for Mary’s faithful servants and children whom he finds more difficult to overcome than others.

Saint Louis de Montfort

In Treatise on True Devotion to Mary (50)

Read more on mariedenazareth.com:​

Saint Louis-Marie-Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716), sa vie

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Cath and Stephie,

Thanks so much for your faith-full and loving “hearts” which time and time again you have given to Jesus through Mary, and proven n your acceptance of threads wich seek to honor those Two Pierced Hearts! I did not return to this thread last night but today it is good to see your “hearts” on this Feast of St. Louis De Montfort, and also to read the excerpt below from hazcompat. I will reply to him and then begin today’s thread.

What richness in the Liturgy today! Besides being the third Tuesday after Easter with those Mass Readings we have optional Memorials for two “Marian” Priests: St. Peter Chanel and St. Louis de Montfort.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks so much for the excerpt from St. Louis de Montfot’s treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”. What a treasure that little book is and how like Mary’s own “hiddenness” it seems to be a book hidden in the hearts of those who love her and not so widely known by those who are more intersted in the things of this world.

Yet, the excerpt you chose to post gives us God’s Truth and reveals His Love for us, as St. Louis wrote how “God wishes to reveal Mary and make her more known”. There are 7 ways the Saint lists in his treatise on True Devotion in which God wishes to make Mary better known. The last 2 ways, I repeat below, seem especially appropriate to the times in which we are living:

(6) In these latter times Mary must shine forth more than ever in mercy, power and grace; in mercy, to bring back and welcome lovingly the poor sinners and wanderers who are to be converted and return to the Catholic Church; in power, to combat the enemies of God who will rise up menacingly to seduce and crush by promises and threats all those who oppose them; finally, she must shine forth in grace to inspire and support the valiant soldiers and loyal servants of Jesus Christ who are fighting for His cause.

(7) Lastly, Mary must become as terrible as an army in battle array to the devil and his followers, especially in these latter times. For Satan, knowing that he has little time - even less now than ever - to destroy souls, intensifies his efforts and his onslaughts every day. He will not hesitate to stir up savage persecutions and set treacherous snares for Mary’s faithful servants and children whom he finds more difficult to overcome than others.